


a curse between us

by helsinkibaby



Category: The Following
Genre: Angst, Community: 1_million_words, Episode Tag, F/M, Romance, post ep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 04:12:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1496185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of the end of the "Havenport" episode, Debra can't sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a curse between us

**Author's Note:**

> For the April song fic challenge. The song used here is "What Have You Done" by Within Temptation. It's more than a little tangential; I saw one line and ran with it!

I think there's a curse on us."

Mike's almost asleep in a very uncomfortable bed in a Havenport motel, but those words having him blinking into wakefulness. Looking down at Debra, whose head is pillowed on his chest, he frowns. "You're head of Alternative Religions," he points out to her. "You don't believe in things like curses."

There's a soft huff of air against his chest that might almost have been laughter if Debra's eyes hadn't looked so serious. "I'm starting to," she says, her fingers lingering gently on the bandage wrapped tightly around his torso. 

"Deb, I've told you already," he says, knowing where this is coming from, "you can't blame yourself for what happened to Nick. She was frisked, she was  supposed to be clean..." The image of the hairpin lodged securely in Nick's eye threatens to make his stomach revolt and Debra's next words prove a welcome distraction. 

"But I was the one who said to bring her back. It was my call." She sighs, bites her lip. "He might not make it."

"And that's not on you." Mike's aware his tone is a little strident and makes an effort to modulate it. "Deb, this is not your fault... Nick knew the life he was choosing when he joined the FBI; we all did. This is not your fault."

Debra rolls over on to her back and he misses the weight of her on his chest immediately. Sitting up, she pushes back her hair, holds it in her two hands. "This case is cursed," she mutters, maybe more to herself than to him. "Nothing's gone our way since Joe Carroll let himself be captured... And I'm so sick of it."

Mike sits up too, slides a hand across the smooth skin of her back. "I don't know," he says lightly, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "I don't think it's all been bad."

He's smiling because it's the truth and when she turns her head to him, looks into his eyes, a small smile curls the edges of her lips too. "You may have a point," she allows. 

"I know I do," he insists as he pulls her close to him, pulls them back down to the mattress. "Just sleep, Deb," he says. "It'll all look better in the morning."

He's not sure if it's true but she doesn't call him on the lie. 

Still, it's a long time before either of them fall asleep. 


End file.
